Seattle Mariners to Retire Edgar Martinez’s Number

SEATTLE (AP) — The Mariners will retire former designated hitter Edgar Martinez's No. 11 as he continues to move closer to induction in the baseball Hall of Fame.

Seattle President Kevin Mather said Tuesday that Martinez's number will be officially retired Aug. 12 as part of a weekend celebration.

Next to Ken Griffey Jr., no player in Mariners history has connected with Seattle like Martinez. He spent 18 seasons with the Mariners as a player and is regarded as one of the best right-handed hitters of his generation. He's about to begin his second full season as the Mariners hitting coach.

Last week, Martinez was named on 58.6 percent of ballots when results of Hall of Fame voting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America were announced. It was a major jump that set the stage for Martinez in his final two years of eligibility to potentially become the first player who was primarily a designated hitter to be voted into the Hall of Fame.